Mail-bag fastening



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 1,

J. J AOOBS.

MMI. BAG PASTENING.

No. 398,967. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

N. PETERS. Pmlmmhcgmplmr, wnmngmn. D. C

2 Sheets Sheet 2 (No Model.)

J. JACOBS.

MAIL BAG PASTBNING.

No. 398,967. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

arent Orrrcn@ JOSEPH JACOBS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, OALlFORNlA.

MAIL-BAG FASTENING.

SPECIFIGATIONforming part. of Letters Patent No.` 398,967, dated March5, 1889.

Appiication iiled October l5, 1888. Serial N0. 288,144. (No model.)

To ctZZ wko/t t may conocido:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH JACOBS, of the city and county ot' Sanliraneisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement inMail-Bag Fastenings; and l hereby declare the following' to he a full,clear, and exact de' scription ot' the sante.

My invention relates to the class oi' fasten ings especially adapted tormail-bags; and my invention consists in the constructions andcombinations of devices which l shall hereinafter fully describe andclaim.

The object ot my invention is to provide a simple and elteetivefastening for mail-bags which can he rapidly operated and is not liableto get out of order.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure l is an elevation of the front ot' the bag, Fig.:l is an elevation of its back on the cross guide-hands D, heinghrokento show the slot c. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line X X, Fig.2. Fig. is a vertical crossseetion on line Y Y, Fig. Fig. 5 is aperspective view from the front ot the bag, the flap a being open. Fig.o is a perspective view of the sliding strap C.

A is a mail-bag, the top of which is provided with the usual `tiap, o,which folds over the top or mouth of the bag. Upon the inner surface ofthis tiap are secured the independent separate tongues B. These tonguesare T- shaped, as shown, having a head, l), a shank or stein, b', and abase, b2, which said hase is properly secured to or formed with aflangeplate, 3, by which the Whole tongue is fastened to the tlap,

Through the two folds or sides of the bag, near the top, are made theopenings or slits o', 'through which the tongues B are adapted to pass,so that their heads and Shanks project to the haelt, While their basesfill nicely7 and snugly said openings or slots, thus practically closingthem when the bag is locked and preventing entrance ot dust, the., saidbases further aetingas guides to immediately and accurately center orplace the Shanks or stein h in line with the horizontal leg portions ofthe slots or grooves of the sliding strap, to be presently descrihed.

On the hack oi' the bag, near the top, is a sliding strap, C, which isheld to place and guided hy cross-hands D. A sh rt loop or hand, E,which is secured to the bag hy means ot a iian ged plate, c, passesthrough elongated slots e in one end of the slidinstrap, whereby thelimits of the movement of the strap are accurately defined, said loopacting in the capacity ot' a stop.-

In the sliding strap C are made T-shaped slots or grooves e, so arrangedthat the top portion is in a vertical position While the leg portion isin a horizontal position. The vertical portions of the T-shaped slotsare so arranged that When the sliding strap is moved in one directionthey will come into alignment with the openings or slits d in the sidesof the bag, and when thc strap is moved in the other direction saidvertical portions will be fully out ot' line with said slits oropenings, which are then crossed by the horizontal portions, While thevertical portions then lie directly under and are covered and protectedby the crossbands D.

Suitable hand-loops, F, may be placed upon the sliding strap in anyposition adapting it to he readily moved.

The operation of the fastening far as described is as follows: By movingthe sliding strap in one direction the vertical portions of its T-shapedgrooves or slots are brought. into alignment with the openings or slitso in the sides of the bag. The flap d is then folded over to place, sothat the tongues B, secured toit, pass into the slits or openings in thesides of the bag, their heads and shanlrs, as heretofore described,passing completely through, While the heads themselves pass through thevertical portions of the grooves or slots in the sliding strap. Saidstrap is then moved over in the other direction, so -as to carry thehorizontal portions ot its grooves or slots past the Shanks or stems ofthe tongues, so that the heads of said tongues then traverse thehorizontal )ortions of the slots or grooves, and are. thereby confined,the vertical portions oi' said slots or grooves passing 'under and beingprotected hy the cross guide-hands D. When it is desired to open thebag, the sliding strap is moved in the lirst- IOO in engagement; but,being near one end of ble nature, I prefer to make of leather, and Idirection, so as to bring the vertical portion of its grooves or slotsinto alignment with the heads of the tongues, whereupon said tongues maybe removed from the strap and taken out of the slits or openings in thesides of the bag, thereby completely freeing the flap a; but in order tohold the sliding strap in place when it is engaging the tongues, asheretofore described,Ihavethefollowinglock: Connected with the flap aot' the bag in the mannerl shall presently describe is a staple, G,which is located near one end of the flap and takes the place of atongue, B, at that point. rlhis staple passes through an opening or slitin the sides of the bag, and also through a slot, c', in the slidingstrap C, which said slot is brought into position to receive the staplewhen the slid-v ing' strap is moved over 1o lock the tongues, asheretofore described. It then receives the usual post-office lock, Il,and the fastening is complete. The slot c', which receives width toaccommodate the staple, will not permit the sliding strap C to be movedby bending' the bag so long as said staple is the iiap a, the hand ofthe operator may be inserted under the end of said iiap, so as towithdraw the staple sufficiently toy free the strap C, whereupon it maybe moved to release the tongues B. So, too, in fastening', the tonguesmay be forced to place first and the strap C slid over to lock them andto bring its slot c into alignment with staple G, which may then bepassed through and locked. The lock, being on the back of the bag, ismore conveniently located than if it were, as usual, on the front, andthere is no need to turn the bag over to lock it.

The sliding strap C, while it may be made of any suitable or desirablematerial of a iiexiwould strengthen and stiffen it by means of the metalstrips c2, secured to it, and which form protecting-faces for theT-shaped slots or grooves c.

The final locking of the bag by means of the staple G, I make to serveanother purpose, to wit: the connection for the tag or destination-eardframe. To the outer surface of the flap a are secured the small staplesI. Upon these is fitted or hinged by 011e end a flanged plate, J, whichforms the base-plate of the tag or card frame. Also fitted or hinged tothese staples I by one end is a hasp plate, K, which forms the top plateof the card or tag frame, said hasp-plate having an open face, k,through which the tag or card L, which lies between the two plates J andK, may be seen. New the locking-staple G is secured to the hasp-plate Kand passes through a slot, j, in the end of the plate J, and thencethrough a slot, a2, in the flap a, and through the sides of the bag andsliding strap C to its seat. It will be seen, therefore, that when thebag is locked the tag-frame formed by plates J and K is also locked; butwhen the staple G is unlocked in front its plate K may be still held inplace to confine the tag by means of a short cross-strap and buckle, M,on the face of the flap. '.lhis short strap -need only be loosened whenit is desired to change the tag. The mere unlocking of the bag does notaffect the tag-frame. \Vl1en the short strap is relieved, the hasp-plateK may bc thrown open on its hinged staples I, thus uncovering the tag,whereupon another may be inserted. It will thus be seen that the tag ordestinationcard can be readily inserted in place and is securely held bythe same operation which completes the main fastening of the bag. Thetag is also in the most convenient place for reference at all timeswhether the bag be full or l whether the iiap a be turned inside themouth of the bag when ready to receive mail matter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters l Patent, is- `the locking-staple, being only o'fsufficient 5 l. In a mail-bag fastening, the combination of T-shapedtongues on the iiap of the bag adapted to pass through openings or slitsin its sides or folds, the sliding strap on the back of the bag havingthe T-shaped grooves or slots for receiving and holding the T-shapedtongues of the flap, and the limiting-stop for defining the movement ofthe sliding strap, consisting of a loop or band, E, secured to the bagand passing through elongated slots e in the strap, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a mail-bag fastening, tongues upon the flap of the bag adapted topass through its sides or folds, a sliding strap upon the back of thebag and having grooves or slots for receiving and holding the tongues,and a locking-staple passing through the bag and the sliding strap andreceiving a lock at the back of the bag, whereby the sliding strap isheld, in combination with the frame for receiving the tag ordestination-card, consisting of the open-faced plate K, hinged to theflap of the bag and carrying the locking-staple, and the flanged plateJ, secured to the fiap and receiving the plate K and its staple,substantially as herein described.

3. In a mail-bag fastening, tongues upon the flap of the bag adapted topass through its sides or folds, a sliding strap upon the back of thebag and having grooves or slots for receiving and holding the tongues,and a loekingstaple passing through the bag and sliding strap andreceiving a lock on the back of the bag, whereby the sliding strap isheld, in combination with the frame for receiving the tag ordestination-card, consisting of the open-faced plate K, hinged to theiap of the bag and carrying the locking-staple, and the :dang-ed plateJ, secured to the flap and receiving the plate K and its staple, and thecross-strap and buckle for holding the plates together when the stapleis released from the back of the bag, substantially as l hereindescribed.

4. In a mail-bag fastening, and in combination with the staple by whichthe bag is locked,

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the frame for the tag or destination-card, c011- sistng of the outeropen-faced plate, K, hinged To the Hap of the bag and carrying thestaple, and the flanged base-plate J, hinged to the flap and having aslotcd end through which 1h@ staple pnssvs, substantially as hereindescribed.

5 l i l l In wtnoss whmoof T have, hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH {I',\(`()IS.

fincssesz W. 1I. PATTERSQN, (L C. XVILSON.

